Focal Expression

Brief description

Top class loudspeaker

Data

General

• Manufacturer:Manfred Zoller (Focal)
• Model: Focal Expression
• Years of manufacture: from about 1989
• Made in: Germany
• Color: Black matt and black piano lacquer
• Dimensions: 35x125x43 cm
• Weight: 70 kg
• Original price approx.: 4500 DM

• Connections:
  • Two sockets for banana plugs

• Technical data:

• • Two Focal 10N500 woofers with 26.2 cm diameter,

one Focal 5N300 midrange driver, 13.6 cm diameter.

• • One Focal T120K dome tweeter .

Maximum sound pressure (1m) 110dB.

• • Sensitivity (1W/1m) 88dB

Rated power handling 300 watts

• Special features:
  • Was also available as a kit.
  • Also been available with glossy piano lacquer against surcharge.

Test reports

• Stereoplay 11/1989: Top Class I, Reference

At the latest since the appearance of his Onyx (1986), which still sells like hot cakes, Manfred Zoller's Focal distribution belongs to the top addresses in the loudspeaker market. But resting on one's laurels is not the way of the ambitious developer, after all the competition does not sleep either. This time stereoplay asked to test the brand new Focal Expression, the second largest speaker in Zoller's range. Two 25 mm bass drivers are mounted in separate enclosures of 70 litres net each, two reflex tubes each support the low bass. Since the maximum sound pressure not only depends on the diaphragm area but also on the possible excursion, these values are of great importance: Focal specifies a linear excursion of +/- 8 millimetres for their bass drivers - the thumb check confirms these values that are far above average. A midrange driver with Neoflex cone and dispersion cone is responsible for the range from 150 to 3000 Hz - more than 4 octaves. A narrow air gap and a strong drive should ensure that the relatively small chassis can keep up with the double bass. The Kevlar diaphragm ( tensile strength, light weight) of the tweeter measures an unusual three centimetres and is curved inwards to achieve a wide dispersion as with smaller surfaces. The tweeter is not a dome in the strict sense, because its voice coil measures only two centimetres and therefore does not touch the edge of the cone. Focal expects this to result in a particularly even drive of the entire surface.

In the listening room we had to take a deep breath, because the dynamics, openness and sound pressure produced by the Focal Expression were simply phenomenal. The second surprise was the neutrality and the excellent local time response. The top class 1 references ACR Isostatig 300 (kit) and T+A TMR 160 (ready made 7500,- DM pair) gave the Expression a run for its money. The T+A was able to produce a bit more balanced music and the ACR compensated for the somewhat weak bass with superfine sparkling overtones, but in terms of liveliness no one could fool the Expression.

Thus, the Focal Expression is also the reference in the top class I.

BUYING VALUE: Sound.............very Good. Manufacturing quality............very Good. RANK AND NAMES: Top Class I, Reference.

Links

• http://www.audioscope.net/focal-expression-p-933.html?language=de&ref=6
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/uwe_schubert/2757432402/